Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-03-06
A GEORGIA CHARACTER.
Queer Traits OF q Quaint. Humor
Gus, and Popular reIIOw.


| Queer Traits OF q Quaint. Humor-
Gus, and Popular reiIOw.
athens tGa) Banner.l
The recent death OF Samuel Tant in
Gainesville removes from life one OF the
most original men in Georgia. He had
the brush of an artist which ran into
sign painting and house-decorating He
was skilful painter and designer.
Tant had also the temperament of an
artist. He possessed the spirit of
rowing and had seen many sides of life,
and was familiar with all phases Of
character. He was authority on sport
ing subjects. Music and minstrelsy had
especial charms for him. He appre-
GATED genuine humor, and was quick to
expose quackery on the burned-cork
boards. Baseball amounted to a pas
sion. He caught the slang OF the
stage and field, and used it in the most
picturesque way. Language was his
forte. Words were welded and mo-
delled anew under his tongue, and al
though the effect was startling at times,
there was never any doubt as to his
meaning.
He was an oddly. When he moved
to Augusta ne put out beautiful sign,
"T. Sam Tant, Paintery."
The last word was startler. His
friends asked him where he got his au-
thority for Paintery." He said it
suited him. A bakers store was a
bakery-why was not painters shop a
paintery? He never changed his sign.
Tant's shop was in the old Opera
House arcade, in Augusta. After the
burning of 1883 he used to call him.
self "the phoenix of the town" He
survived fires and financial wrecks, and
sailed on unperturbed.
He had lived everywhere and hal
engaged in all sorts of business. He
was q versatile and a companionable
fellow, who would make friends and
find listeners. During the cold spell in
Athens he had the crowd around the
Commercial Hotel stove entertained al
the time. He was for awhile locomo-
tive engineer on the Alabama Great
Southern railroad. He said he could
run an engine into the round-house as
pretty as any man on the road. One
day he dropped the trucks of the L.
q. G. Lamar over into the turn-table,"
and retired from the business.
Sam used to give an amusing account
of trip up the Mississippi river. He
was bound for Memphis. The steam
boat ran aground, broke her rudder,
and the captain announced that, as the
delay would be long, he would send the
passengers ashore or transfer them to
another boat. at was in the summer"
said Tant, "business was dull, and /
was not in a hurry to get TO Mem
phis anyway. I refused to be trans
ferred told him my ticket required
hin to put me down in Memphis and 1
would remain on board until he was
ready to go. stayed two weeks, had
good fare free, enjoyed the river scenes
without pay, and got in Memphis in due
time" Those who knew Tant do not
doubt that he was a popular part of the
boat before the trip was ended.
At one time he started a system OF
Turkish baths in Augusta that were
very popular. Again he worked an en-
terprise to bring down Chicago meats
on Ice and ran a refrigerator-car on the
way-freight up and down the Georgia
railroad. II carried the best meats and
vegetables, melons, ice, beer, &c. 1t
was equal to three or four good market
stalls, and its passing was big treat to
the people along the line, who seldom
failed to draw upon the store. Tant
would deal out the viands with liberal
hand. Whenever a thirsty or lonely
fellow would ask him he would take
him into his car, give him something to
eat, and o thirty or forty-mile ride.
ant used to call all good fellows
-" thoroughbreds." He believed, to
use his own words, in excepting up
with the bell-cow and galloping with
the gang" He liked to talk with the
prominent men. General e. p. Alex
andor was great favorite with him,
ana pronounced Tant the most Original
man he ever met. He did not think
III utH VI IOuSIH eltttollchs AiS ooib
there were bright Bohemians in Wash
ineton who wrote speeches for congress
men, and who "wOuld put language in |
them that would send Daniel Webster |
to led"
! cscribing a meeting with Mr.. |
George /. Seney once. Tant said he |
felt like he was pitching to the third |
hitter of the world"
Fad he stuck closely to house and
sign painting he would have made his |
fortune, for he was thoroughly up in
everything relating to what he was fond |
Of calling "the profession" He used
10 say that he had prolonged the lives
Of several wealthy octogenarians in Au-
susta by persuading ;hem to let hum
paint their houses. His brush would
furnish "change of SC me-" he declared,
md was equal to a trip abroad.